I spoke last week how the Chinese produced MG brand was the fastest growing brand in Australia – up 581 percent on the back of the popular compact ZS SUV. Shanghai Motor Show this week highlighted the fact that MG will have a pure electric version here within 12 months. Parent company SAIC said it expects the EZS SUV to go on sale here early next year. Whereas most electric vehicles are currently roughly twice the price of their petrol equivalent the Chinese auto giant is suggesting a 20 per cent lift over the petrol MGZS model – this would make it the cheapest electric vehicle on the Australian market priced just under $30,000. To be sold with a home charger that can fill a depleted battery in 8 hours although MG claim a fast charger would deliver an 80 per cent charge in 40 minutes. SAIC incidentally is not short of R and D dollars – last year net profit was 7.4 billion Australian. I’m David Berthon

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